Phlox plant named ‘Grenadine Dream’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Grenadine Dream’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers; relative resistance to Powdery Mildew; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Grenadine Dream’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Grenadine Dream’.

The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact Phlox cultivars with attractive flower coloration and Powdery Mildew resistance.

The new Phlox originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2004 in Haarlem, The Netherlands, of two unidentified selections of Phlox paniculata, not patented. The new Phlox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Haarlem, The Netherlands in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox by cuttings in a controlled environment in Haarlem, The Netherlands since 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Grenadine Dream has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultivar practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Grenadine Dream’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Grenadine Dream’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Upright and relatively compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   4. Relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox and the parent selections differ primarily in flower coloration and plant height.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Riding Hood, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Haarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar Red Riding Hood differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were more compact than plants of the         cultivar Red Riding Hood.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox wee sturdier and had thicker stems         than plants of the cultivar Red Riding Hood.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox had darker green-colored and         healthier leaves than plants of the cultivar Red Riding Hood.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox had darker-colored flowers than         plants of the cultivar Red Riding Hood.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phlox, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Grenadine Dream’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Grenadine Dream’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of a typical leaf of ‘Grenadine Dream’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Haarlem, The Netherlands, under commercial practice during the early autumn in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 14° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 15° C. Plants were grown for about one year when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata cultivar Grenadine Dream. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of Phlox             paniculata, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Phlox             paniculata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant.—About one month during the             spring in The Netherlands.         -   Root description.—Fine; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and relatively compact plant             habit; narrow inverted triangle; low to moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 33.8 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 20.2 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16.6 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 9.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Truncate to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Finely serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 143A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Between 143C and 144B. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: 137A; venation, 145A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: 138B; venation, 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 145A to 145B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rotate and salverform flowers             arranged in compound terminal panicles; flowers face upright             and outward. Panicles roughly conical in shape. Freely             flowering habit with about 175 flower buds and flowers             developing per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from July             until September in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Flowers not             persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the             plant and about ten days as a cut flower.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: 64A to 64C; towards the base, 65C to             65D; calyx, 145A flushed with 187A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 17.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Length:             About 3.6 cm. Lobe width: About 1.8 cm. Shape: Spatulate.             Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing petals, upper             surface: N57A to N57B; towards the throat, 60B; throat, 64D.             Developing petals, lower surface: 64C to 64D; tube, 59C to             59D. Fully expanded petals, upper surface: Between N57A and             N66A; towards the throat, 60B; throat, N77B. Color becoming             closer to N57B with development. Fully expanded petals,             lower surface: 63A to 63C; tube, N77B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; companulate calyx. Length:             About 9 mm. Width: About 1.7 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Narrowly apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, developing sepals, upper             and lower surfaces: 145A flushed with 187A. Color, fully             expanded sepals, upper surface: N186C. Color, fully expanded             sepals, lower surface: 144C to 144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 13.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Angle: Main peduncle, erect; lateral peduncles, about 40°             from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 144B to 144C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 60° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five; fused with petals in tube. Filament length: About             1 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: 155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             158D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Three-parted. Stigma color: 150C             to 150D. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: 183C.             Ovary color: 143A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have been noted to     be relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Phlox     have not been noted to be resistant to other pathogens and pests     common to Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Grenadine Dream’ as illustrated and described. 